99 -- Determine optimal parameter settings for the Weather Research and Forecast Model and Pacific Northwest National Lab , Integrated Lagrangian Transport model

THIS IS A SYNOPSIS FOR A SOLE SOURCE ACQUISITION (REFERENCE FAR PART 13.106-1(b)) AS REQUIRED BY FAR PART 5.2. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTATION/PROPOSAL. The Contracting Officer has determined that the circumstances of this contract action deem only one source is reasonably available. This requirement is considered noncommercial in nature and any resultant purchase order will be awarded in accordance with FAR Part 13. The 45th Contracting Squadron intends to award a sole source Fixed Price purchase order to Florida State University (FSU). The purpose of the requirement is to determine optimal parameter settings for the Weather Research and Forecast Model (WRF) and Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL) Integrated Lagrangian Transport (PILT) model to best represent the current state of the atmosphere and the transport and dispersion (T&D) of radiological effluent when performing simulations in various regions across the globe of interest to the Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC). The WRF model was developed by various agencies and universities (e.g., the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), the Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA), the Penn State University) and is considered the United States meteorological ?community? mesoscale model. PILT is a modified version of FLEXPART (developed at the University of Munich) that can be run using WRF output. This research and development will consist of sensitivity studies of both WRF and PILT. The anticipated period of performance is 12 months from the date of award. FSU is the only source known to be capable of fulfilling the government?s requirement. FSU has unique experience in long range transport issues, having participated in seven NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) airborne field projects involving the global transport of air pollutants. Locations of those field projects include numerous regions within both hemispheres. This vast experience in performing and analyzing numerical model simulations over various regions of the world is critical to accomplishment of this requirement. This research will answer questions that are very similar to those encountered during the NASA research. FSU prepared various T&D products for each project using a variety of meteorological model output?ranging from global models down to the locally run Mesoscale Model 5 (MM5). By viewing the trajectories and comparing them with airborne in situ data, FSU has obtained vast experience in assessing the quality of trajectories and other T&D related parameters. Other research projects have given FSU extensive experience in sensitivity studies of additional mesoscale models (e.g., the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) and the Weather Research and Forecast model (WRF)) and their applicability to transport and dispersion analyses. FSU has extensive experience with both of the models of interest. FSU personnel attended the latest WRF tutorial conducted by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) during Summer 2007 to learn the most recent upgrades to the WRF. Since FSU will run both the WRF and PILT models during the next NASA field project in Spring 2008, that NASA research will continue to complement and enhance this Air Force research. Finally, the FSU personnel can consult (at no cost) with other in-house meteorology faculty who also are experts in running the WRF model. The solicitation for this requirement will be issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). It is advertised with a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code of 541710, with a size standard of 500. Potential contractors must be registered in the Central Contractor Registry to be eligible for award (See Internet site: http://www.ccr.dlsc.dla.mil) It is mandatory to obtain a DUNS number prior to registering in CCR by calling Dun & Bradstreet (1-800-333-0505). This Notice of Intent is not a request for competitive quotations. Any firm that believes it can meet the specifications above may give written notification to the point of contact below. Responses received will be evaluated; however, a determination by the Government not to compete the proposed procurement based upon the responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.